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Cubs can't hang with Sox in final spring meeting

3/15/13: Dioner Navarro drives in the Cubs' first run with a single to left field in the top of the fourth inning

By Scott Merkin
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MLB.com |

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- As rivalry games between the Cubs and White Sox go, Friday's 15-3 White Sox victory at Camelback Ranch wouldn't rank on the list of Top 10 matchups.

Of course, it is a Cactus League game, but it still was a drubbing administered by the White Sox offense upon Cubs starter Scott Feldman.

The White Sox scored two in the second, three in the third and four in the fourth, with Feldman's day ending in the fourth on a two-out double by Alexei Ramirez and a two-out walk issued to Adam Dunn. Paul Konerko followed by drawing a walk off reliever Hector Rondon, and Dayan Viciedo clubbed an opposite-field grand slam landing halfway up the grass beyond the fence in right-center.

Feldman was touched for seven runs on seven hits over 3 2/3 innings, striking out two and walking two. While Feldman struggled with his location, White Sox starter Gavin Floyd looked regular-season ready.

Floyd yielded just one run on four hits over 5 1/3 innings, striking out five and not issuing a walk. The Cubs' lone run scored in the fourth on Starlin Castro's single and stolen base, followed by Dioner Navarro's two-out single.

"It's not meaningless, but at the same point, you're out there focusing on trying to make a pitch and not worrying about or thinking about what team you're facing," said Floyd. "You know who's up and you're trying to execute pitches. Every time you're out there, you're competing against somebody holding the bat, so you definitely get the juices flowing regardless of who it is. "

Konerko knocked a single and a double in his first two at-bats, while Dunn joined Konerko in reaching base three times. Jordan Danks drove home the first runs for the White Sox with a long two-run homer to right in the second off Feldman, followed by a run-scoring double in the third. Those two hits gave Danks four straight over two games.

A two-run double for Viciedo in the third gave the left fielder six RBIs on the afternoon. Dewayne Wise added his third spring home run in the fifth, with Danks adding two more RBIs in a four-run White Sox sixth to finish with five runs driven in on the day.

Up next: The Cubs play the second of three straight days of split-squad games on Saturday. Half the team will be in Las Vegas to play the Rangers. Opening Day starter Jeff Samardzija will start that game. Hisanori Takahashi will start on Saturday at HoHoKam Stadium when the other half of the Cubs play host to the Royals. Anthony Rizzo was expected back in the Cubs lineup Saturday in Mesa after playing for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic. Both games begin at 3:05 p.m. CT and can be seen on MLB.TV.

Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Merk's Works, and follow him on Twitter @scottmerkin. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.